Militants ambush patrolling troops in J&K

Jammu: Two soldiers were killed on early Friday in an ambush by terrorists in Tandar village in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. It was the "deadliest attack" by militants this year, an army officer said.

The terrorists attacked an army patrol that was on its way to a suspected militant hideout in Tandar in Dachhan area, about 240 km northeast of Jammu.

"This came as a surprise to the Indian troops, when they (militants) fired with their automatic AK-47 assault rifles in Tandar area. Two soldiers were killed - one of the rank of Lance Naik and another a sepoy.

HARD TARGET: Tandar attack is the first incident in 2010 where soldiers have been targeted.

"This was the deadliest attack by terrorists in the hinterland of Jammu and Kashmir," said an army officer of 16 corps.

The soldiers of 16 corps are manning the Line of Control (LoC) and countering insurgency operations in most of the Jammu region.

The terrorists have shot at and killed policemen in the Kashmir valley but in Tandar this was the first incident in 2010 where soldiers were targeted.

"It's not a new situation for us, we will go after the terrorists each and everywhere in the state, they would not be allowed to get away with such assaults or their bid to disturb peace," the army officer said.